ID :
57102
Thu, 04/23/2009 - 17:42
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/57102
The shortlink copeid
U.S. enhanced mad cow feed ban to have no effect on beef imports: official
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- The decision by Washington to implement a
strengthened animal feed program to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) outbreaks will not affect South Korean imports of U.S. beef, a government
official said Thursday.
Chang Ki-yoon, chief veterinary officer at the farm ministry, said while the
original agreement signed last April calls for Seoul to allow the import of
various meat and bone cuts from cattle over 30 months old if the U.S. enforces
tougher feed control rules, additional talks that ended in June effectively
excused the government from taking such a step.
"There will be no change in terms of the meat that can be imported," the official
stressed.
Under the provisions reached, South Korea need not import U.S. beef from older
animals until "public concerns" about BSE -- more commonly known as mad cow
disease -- have been alleviated. Age is important because most mad cow cases
occur in animals over 30 months old.
BSE has been cited for causing the brain-wasting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in humans that has killed hundreds of people in the past.
The remarks come after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed it has
officially posted the "enhanced ban of high-risk cattle material in feed" rules
on the Federal Register that goes into effect Monday. The agency, however, said
it will wait six months before enforcement to give meat processing companies more
time to adjust and devise ways to destroy parts that cannot be turned into feed.
The revised USDA rules are designed to strengthen existing safeguards on BSE that
scientists claim may be caused by giving cattle feed made from other cattle
parts.
Under the rules, BSE-infected cattle cannot be used to make feed, and the ban
will include brains and spinal cord marrow from animals over 30 months old.
Washington published the final version of the enhanced anti-BSE feed rules April
25, 2008, but postponed implementation to reflect criticism from meat packers and
rendering companies that complained the move could raise overall costs for the
industry.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
strengthened animal feed program to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) outbreaks will not affect South Korean imports of U.S. beef, a government
official said Thursday.
Chang Ki-yoon, chief veterinary officer at the farm ministry, said while the
original agreement signed last April calls for Seoul to allow the import of
various meat and bone cuts from cattle over 30 months old if the U.S. enforces
tougher feed control rules, additional talks that ended in June effectively
excused the government from taking such a step.
"There will be no change in terms of the meat that can be imported," the official
stressed.
Under the provisions reached, South Korea need not import U.S. beef from older
animals until "public concerns" about BSE -- more commonly known as mad cow
disease -- have been alleviated. Age is important because most mad cow cases
occur in animals over 30 months old.
BSE has been cited for causing the brain-wasting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in humans that has killed hundreds of people in the past.
The remarks come after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed it has
officially posted the "enhanced ban of high-risk cattle material in feed" rules
on the Federal Register that goes into effect Monday. The agency, however, said
it will wait six months before enforcement to give meat processing companies more
time to adjust and devise ways to destroy parts that cannot be turned into feed.
The revised USDA rules are designed to strengthen existing safeguards on BSE that
scientists claim may be caused by giving cattle feed made from other cattle
parts.
Under the rules, BSE-infected cattle cannot be used to make feed, and the ban
will include brains and spinal cord marrow from animals over 30 months old.
Washington published the final version of the enhanced anti-BSE feed rules April
25, 2008, but postponed implementation to reflect criticism from meat packers and
rendering companies that complained the move could raise overall costs for the
industry.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
